Shame on political leaders and elders of Twï, Bor, Nyarweng and Hol

This article is highly polemical so be ready for what it’ll drop your way. It is the first in a series of articles critical of all parties involved in Jonglei’s security fiasco.

So, we supposedly have a comfortingly functional government in Juba because we have semblance of governance: structural allocation of ministries and presence of presidency. However, the government is so simple that understanding it becomes complex. It’s so functionally simplistic that one needs to sit back to study its complexity. I’m sorry if you didn’t get that!

In unnerving instances, Ministers and Members of Parliament are answerable to the president and the president is answerable to NO ONE. The constituents or electoral blocs are nobodies. Well, perhaps the president is answerable to European’s supernatural being called god, his stolen, rude son, Jesus Christ, and the timid lady who broke the basic rules of biology, the Virgin Mary.

Basically, in a word, this government is advisedly a no-go place if one wants to help the average South Sudanese. With no doubt, anyone who believes this government is going to build schools, better equipped clinics, better roads and improve security… is insane. Clearly insane!

What government in the world would allow civilians to be butchered for hours without sending in security forces? What president in the world would treat the massacre of 79 (using his figures in the press release) innocent civilians in their villages with demonic indifference?

In a world of sane personalities, the least a conscientious president would do is to stop all the functions and visit the wounded and the victims; to comfort them and to show them that their president is actually the president of ALL peoples not some people.

I’d assume South Sudan is not too young for this, or is it?

Just tell me, how can the presidency, the government, and the national assembly go on with business as usual as if nothing has happened?

Beshir inconveniences South Sudan everywhere he goes. He comes to Juba and people’s lives come to a standstill. He goes back to Khartoum and he sends bombers to bomb innocent civilians. Yet our president showers him with shameless praises like a fat kid praising a mother with a cookie in hand.

Yeah, the pot-bellied ministers will take this on face value and say: “This is how politics and diplomacy works.” Shame! Great shame!

However, I shouldn’t blame the problems in Bor, Twï and Duk counties exclusively on Juba. If the leaders in these counties know the above state of affairs to be valid— the ineffectiveness of Juba government —then how the hell do the leaders in the above four communities expect service provision from such a dysfunctional government run by self-absorbed oligarchs?

If Twï leaders and politicians don’t take their people’s lives seriously then why would others be serious about civilian lives in those areas?

These three counties have ample numbers of educated citizens and can strategize on a multi-layered approach to security in their counties. Why aren’t they doing this?

As a matter of fact, the citizens of these counties have resources both at home and abroad but I fail to understand why we don’t we have any single leader who can conscientiously mobilize these resources to build infrastructure that can enable development and improve security in these counties.

You shamelessly crowd in Juba hotels while your people die in record numbers. It’s even painful to know that none of you voiced any strong condemnation of the atrocities, the indifference and inaction of the government. Why exactly are you alive? Why such cowardice?

Instead of you convening a nationally televised polemical meeting to lash at the government, you are nursing your bitterness in your rooms because you are afraid of the president. You let your people down because of your cowardice, lack of organization and leadership.

It should be clear by now that the leadership in Juba is ready to let your people die. In fact, you’re helping the government kill your own people through negligence. Shame on you!

To give you just a sample of the gross neglect and indifference: Wernyol (August 2009, over 47 dead; Jalle (December 2011, 45 dead); Duk (January 2012, 86 dead; December 2012, 7 dead); Maar (August 2013, 7 dead; October 2013, 78 dead). And this is just a sample of the attacks and deaths in these three counties of Bor, Duk and Twï.

If you don’t know how to strategize then ask for help! If your education is only on paper then ask for help! If you are afraid of the president then drop dead!

I’m not mincing words here because I’m sick of you and your forced indifference, your cowardly existence and useless education and leadership.

Whoever thinks these attackers are Murle tribesmen needs to go back to class and learn. The attackers are armed, lawless militants with a cleansing agenda. The classical Murle interest is the cattle not people’s lives. Typical Murle tribesmen only kill those people who go after the cattle.

When young children are being killed with their families in their villages, then you gotta wonder what has removed human emotions from our leaders locally and nationally.

My suggestions are these:
• Stop this nonsensical formation called ‘Greater Bor Community’ because it’s meaningless and anachronistic. It also frustrates any developmental initiatives as this artificial, nominal community doesn’t have headquarters and we don’t know where its development initiatives would be based.

We should form or strengthen powerful, knowledgeable and effective leaders and independent leaderships in the three counties. Twï County, Duk County and Bor County leaderships should then cooperate on issues of mutual interest and to exchange valuable resources and skills as far as security and development are concerned.

The above three communities have developed a bond that will always be there…and should be celebrated into posterity. A common name is counterproductive, unnecessary and frustrates development initiatives.
• Each county should coordinate pooling of resources both abroad and at home because we have resources. We just don’t have effective leadership that can efficaciously help in administering these resources to maximize their benefits.
• Start lobbying for decentralization of security services and other government services. States should be allowed to train its police force and the headquarters centered in places that have increased insecurity. Each county should therefore lobby for the presence of police force in vulnerable areas.
• Start living among your own people in order to feel what they experience. Living in Juba makes you divorced from the realities your peoples’ experience. It can also force you to improve security because your lives would be at stake. You fought during the war, why are you now afraid to die with your people?
• Stop being afraid of president Kiir. He’s your president, not some killer demon or a deranged old fellow. He knows the truth. Speak up on behalf of your people. Get fired in the name of standing up for your community and you’ll be honorable; get hated because you want your people to live in peace. You have an influential voting bloc that you can use against the president. You can influence other communities to abandon such a president if he doesn’t take care of South Sudan citizens equally.
• Learn how to be strategists if you aren’t one now. No one is going to solve these issues for us. The problem in Jonglei State can’t be solved using a single approach. We need a multi-layered approach which involves improving infrastructure in the area.

We need good roads and means to contain the flood. The area between Ajah-ageer and Akobo needs to be turned into commercial farms or habitable area. If the government doesn’t have money then it should be contracted out to developed countries that are willing and can do that and use it for 10 to 20 years before handing it to us.

Re-establish and strengthen tribal chain of accountability (see my book, South Sudan ideologically, for a comprehensive look at Tribal Accountability Model (TAM) and other models of accountability.

In the end, it’s about being organized, being courageous, being critical thinkers (outside the box) and being people who care about their own people regardless of the consequences.

Put your people first and your sorry bulging stomachs second. You have brought great shame to your communities and it’s high time you help.

Kiir’s sycophants like our dear uncles, Makuei Lueth and Kuol Manyang, should be left alone for they don’t care about their own Bor County people, leave alone South Sudanese or Jonglei state citizens.

They can however be welcome by Bor County citizens if they are ready to contribute to the development and peace in the county.

To Twï, Bor and Duk counties leaders and elders, the government has abandoned your people and it’s up to you to help the government continue to kill them through your cowardice or go home and strategize on ways to help the young ones smile again.

If you have any humanity or dignity left in you, then do something that would endure! I know your kids are safe, but your people back home are in abject destitution.

Kuir ë Garang is a South Sudanese author, poet and publisher living Canada. He’s the author of the newly published book, South Sudan Ideologically. For contact visit www.kuirthiy.info or www.thenilepress.com

70 Comments

I 100% agree with you that we need to decentralize security and polices! We need local people of the area who know the people and area and who can relate to the locals to be the ones to manage security!
As to why they do not care, well, most of the security big fishes have their families and relatives hidden in equatoria and Nimule in Particular thus they care less what happens back in Bor regions.
Secondly, they have become cowards and do not want to die because they have tested wealth and amassed millions therefore they want to be around to enjoy their stolen wealth but down with this government!
Indeed we do not need to engineer this crazy idea of forging unity but rather seeking out for shared interests such will keep us together. This is what the emphasis should be instead of imposing occupation on others all over the country such will only tear us apart and the killings will escalate and continue!

Exactly Mr. Kuir. Kuol Manyang, Makuei Lueth and Deng Dau, plus many many more as Bor, Twi & Duk’s Sons have miserably failed our three Counties. They’ve chosen to work for their bellies, instead of their beloved constituencies of Bor, Twi and Duk(s) as constituents should do. And this is clearly appalling and regrettable.

Else, I don’t think the reason behind their absurd silence is because of fear of loosing jobs or get killed. I absolutely feel they are heartless and greedy beasts who don’t want to work for all, but for themselves. Thanks.

The men who survived that massacre in the two villages of Paliau and Maar would now be cursing the day they co-operated with Kiir’s government by handing in their arms during that mismanaged disarmment. This government does not qualify to be referred to as a government, whichever way you look at it. The thieives can not even learn from their Kenyan counterparts how the government behaves during a disaster whether natural or man made.
They are only busy buying all the criminal militia groups hoping that this will help them maintain power when that D day in 2015 arrives. How wrong they are! A lot of people thought, Salva Kiir, would at least be better in security provision but he is as clueless as he is in public relationship.
Our people are doomed unless something changes.

The cycle of violence will never stop since the wrong groups are sticking on power, caring for their bellies, transferring huge money of Dollars outside the country and busy womanizing with their young daughters inside Juba. The nation has collapsed.

I do appreciate the anguish, the frustrations and feeling of helplessness among our people in respect of the massacre in Twic East. The situation is indeed grave and to blame it on a few leaders hailing from these counties is tantamount to its trivialization.
This is because a cursory view of South Sudan reveals a similar episode everywhere you go to. It is a consequence of a state operating without a strategy or direction.
That the conditions, on which South Sudan gained independence in 2011 under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, still obtains in 2013 can only tell us that the problem does not lie with the local authorities or the local politicians. May the Great Lord have mercy

Kuir must remind himself that problems in Jonglei were there since the government of Sudan, the rulers of that time like Abel Alier did not stop. it is now a high time for you the educated guys who still writing in Canada to join forces with your leaders whom you called cowards and then ask yourselves, what is our problem?
you have Nuer, Dinka and Murle and fighting each other, is it a curse or what…. instead of blaming Kiir and the government of the day…

Well, I don’t think it is a curse. Professor Nyaba said it all, it is lack of vision and direction. There’s no life in a country where criminality benefit criminals. The world most countries put into their constitutions that there must be no man allowed to benefit from his crimes. No man, absolutely no man.

In South Sudan, criminals are tremendously benefiting from their crimes. The doctrine of granting amnesty and positions to killers becomes lucrative. Criminals are benefiting from killing innocents while hope for amnesty and reward of positions, a political appeasement strategy the president adopts in recent years.

So when your chances of being recognized, amnestied and rewarded are slim you kill more and more, and here you go to depress the president into recognizing, amnestying and rewarding you.

So this is not a curse. Criminals see some political loopholes and weaknesses that they can use to dig in and dig in to gain economically.

Dr. Ramba,
I am one of people who looks for an alternative powerful party because I believe opposition party means balance of power and is a useful tool to pressure party in power to deliver services to people.

However, when I checked your party’s website and take a tour of it, I was shocked to learn that the party’s leadership not representative. I felt alienated and unwelcomed. Why you my people love to be exclusive?

Can you explain and market to me your party so I feel welcomed and included?

Daniel Mawei Deng,

Bachelor in Political Science
Bachelor in Religious Studies
MBA in Health Care,
MHRM in Human Resources.
From the United States.

It is the responsibility of the government to protect the life of its citizens and properties. However, since the peace was signed in 2005 and after the death of Garang in July of the same year. The idea of caring about the people of South Sudan and promotion of nationalism was lost. What is remaining today in our country are those who care about maintaining the top leadership and let the citizen kill themselves. People with the good heart and those share human solidarity like Kuir (including myself) can be angry for senseless killings in our country in the name of rebellion that does not have anything to do with those are being kill and whom their properties are looted.

There individuals who said that it is not a government responsibility to provide protection to civilians across the country. If it is not the government responsibility to do so, then who will care out the orders and who will maintain the peace and order among the people of South Sudan that have different ethnic background? Do president Kiir and his government want the situation like a Somalia in our country? If not, then he needs to act now and enforce the rules of law so that senseless killing of innocent civilians and looting of their properties be stop before the situation gets out of hand. We need the leader that will care about his own people, not the leader that car about his position.

Someone people, want to justify that the problem of Jonglei and South Sudan was this bad before during Abel Alier and Joseph Lagu, but it was never been this way. If it was this way, then the Southern Sudanese should even have not thought about taking arm against the Khartoum government. Therefore, Kiir and his government have to accept their failure in leading the country and let another person among the South Sudanese takeover, so that the lives of innocent civilians will be safe.

Dear Kuir e Garang,
you are one of writers whom I have been proud to read whatever you wrote because I feel your philosophical thinking is useful to readers, but after this article I felt shying away.
The reason is this, you can’t wrap tragedy with politics. This is dangerous. What happened to Twic East is heartbreaking and can’t be mixed with trivial politics such as the so-called “Bor name” debate.
This is a debate for people who aren’t yet open-minded and not for people who internationally claim to be authors, writers and publishers.

I still have basic belief in you, don’t take me wrong. But I think Poets and authors like you need to be reputable and credible for readers to continue accessing and reading your writings, otherwise what should I expect to read in your books if your mind appears to be occupied with hate and grudge.

I am saying this because I felt that the debate about Bor Name and the tragedy in Twic East which caused us many lives is irrelevant and shouldn’t be tolerated by thinkers like you.

Greater Bor of Deng Lueth Mayok doesn’t prevent leaders from the three counties of Duk, Twic East and Bor to do something. These counties have already established leaderships under Mabior Aciek Cau of Bor County, David Kuol Anyieth of Twic East county and Ayuel Leek of Duk. So what’s the problem here?

Again, when you focus debating on irrelevant issues you seem to be closed-minded. It is time for us to be open-minded and see things beyond our narrow borders.

It is not a coincidence that the massacre happened five days after the internationally-manufactured ”Global Hand-Washing Day” (can you get more absurd?). The politicians and friends of South Sudan have washed their hands of any and all accountability for the disaster we are witnessing – the disaster that is mostly of their making, the disaster that is going perfectly according to plan (despite the pretty lip-service), the disaster that is South Sudan.
For the paid joker to spend more time washing his hands publicly than he and his colleagues spend solving real issues is MACABRE! It’s impossible to make recommendations to this crew. I’ve given up believing that this dysfunction is not THE plan. Why do we still assume our politicians and partners want what we want – peace, development, harmony, health, dignity, security?
They have a long track-record of insanity, of working against the people, the better to have their curd (as opposed to the people’s cream) rise to the top. Chaos is their best friend.

In an idealistic world, the parliament should have or should be in the process summoning the ministers of defense, interior, security, the governor of jonglei, Twic east county commissioner, elders of Ajoung and Pakeer and victim of the massacre to testify before appropriate parliamentary committee.
That would be tantamount to beginning of accountability and responsibility in the republic of south sudan, the relevant ministry should explain what they know, what they did and why they fail to respond to avert the attack despite that fact that there were indications of impending and imminent attack by Yau Yau forces. frustratingly, that will not happen in south sudan!!!.
south sudan politicians are lucky for they are not held accountable even when there is substantial evidence of negligence and failure on their part.

How could the same area be attacked twice in a period of two months and yet the security, the army and jonglei state government did nothing about it. Deng Dau Malek who represented Twic East county in South Sudan parliament in conjunction with Dengtiel Ayuen and Thon Leek from Bor and Duk should demand answers from relevant ministries.
Unfortunately they will do nothing in part because they have no families or close relatives who might have been affected directly or indirectly by the attack. And have nothing to worry should the same enemy attack again in the future.

And yet they claim to be voice and representative of the people when they can not do what the average citizen would do, which is demanding answers from their government.

Dr. JAC Ramba, the misery and catastrophe that has befallen people of Twic east county should not be used for political exploitation. If you can not mourn the death of 79 or so people, then please desist from pushing your federalism political agenda. Federalism is not a solution either. Please there is time for everything. the federal system that you have passionately advocated for will turn south sudan into a Somali, which no one wants at this juncture.

Jonglei state was well positioned to respond but chose not to. which beg the question as to WHY. and as Philip thon aleu put it in his article in Sudan tribune, if Yau Yau or Murle forces can walk in, why can’t Jonglei state police walk to the scene of attack?

we have focused much of our criticism at the top especially to the president, but local officials have equally contributed to the over all failure of the government as the case of Jonglei state clearly indicates.

Dear Kuir
Can you please get the hell out of foreign countries and come back home, get your ideas together and help those people whom you claim to be your descendants.
I have been in foreign countries for long time; yes you are educated what else do you want? why you keep roaming between foreign countries, come home. I know you are in Australia what are you looking for.

To Kuir Garang,
you don’t have to blame Kuol Manyang, Makuei Malueth, Majak Agoot or Dau Deng. These individuals care more for themselves than the lives of innocent people in these three counties. We should start the blame game here in diaspora and at home especially young people because we failed to defend our homeland.
Generation before us had done that without the help from government. I am tired of this generation including myself. We know that our leaders have failed us why not have a plan b? It is simple. We should be organized and defend our ourselves from these criminals of Murlei without these incompetent leaders from our area.

As I have been saying here on this very forum that the truth hurts but it is worth telling it. You have said it all my friend. IN fact, no leader looks after the security and safety of other people in South Sudan. Similar situation occurred during the leadership of late Dr. John Garang from 1980s through the late 1990s when the Northern Bhar El Ghazal region especially Aweil, Abyei and Gogrial,Twic Mayardit County and Abyei were under the attack and destruction of Marahaleen, the well organized Arab militias.

However, unfortunately Late Dr.John Garang was unable to stop the looting and killing of the innocent civilians in Northern Bhar Ghazal region despite the fact that the Majority of the SPLA soldiers hailed from those affected areas. In fact the killing went on for so long until the native sons and daughters of Aweil, Gogrial, Twic Mayaradit County and Abyei took the matter into their hands. They went home in good numbers and confronted the Marahaleen head on until they were able to stop them from looting and killing the innocent civilians completely. After being defeated in Northern Bhar El Ghazal region, the Marahaleen (Arab Militias) moved to Darfur regions and renamed themselves as Janjaweet and began their ethnic cleansing there.

I totally agreed with you that the native sons and daughters of Twic East, Duk and Bor should go home and organize their people to protect themselves from the Murle of David Yau Yau rather than siting idly in exile and pointing a finger of blame at Kiir and Kuol Manyang who failed to protect the Citizens and properties of Northern Bhar El Ghazal region during the SPLA movement.

If Lou Nuer Youth could do it without blaming Riek Machar, Riek Gai Kok and John Luk Jok why not you people of greater Bor? You better raise up now and do something concrete and positive about the Murle of David Yau Yau otherwise the resettlement of your people will increase in Equatoria region and that would upset the Equatorians and particularly the Madi people who want to resettle their Ugandan Cousins in their land.

Please no more fleeing to Kakuma refugees camp or Madi land in Eastern Equatoria. You must protect yourselves from the Murle of David Yau Yau as the Muonjang of Northern Bhar Ghazal region and do something prior to immigrating to Nimule or Equatoria. Who is Murle or David Yau Yau, anyway!

The truth hurts but it is worth telling it.
Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang!

FROM EDITOR: CONGRATULATIONS, LGG! THIS PERHAPS IS THE ONLY BEST EVER ‘HURTING TRUTH’ YOU HAVE EVER TOLD. LET’S HOPE THE JIENG BOR WON’T BE RUNNING AWAY ANY MORE.

@ Lukudu.
Don’t be liar, Arab militias were chased away by SPLM/SPLA commanded by Ping Deng in presence of me .
Was Devil Yau Yau rebelled against communities or government ?
How should disarmed civilians fights against rebels with their teeth ?
Where is the government forces which disarmed to protect ?
Do you think murle will not attack Lou Nuer because of their defensive against murle ?
Murles killed 79 from dinka Bor but we managed to collected 23 guns from them and then 47 murles bodies confirmed dead. Will murlei rebels stop because they lost too?
Useless government led by useless person/ people !
There will be time should the government of human being would come to power to care for a single live of citizen, But no hope in government of president Salbashir .

Kiir Garang, you are right and wrong in some of the things you just mentioned, Murle of today is different than Murle of years ago, Murle is torturing and killing people even when there is no cow around, atrocities that happened in Akobo, were done by Murle and not Yau Yau. Our brothers from Twic are not to be blamed, security is government responsibility, there for is the government that is failing people all around.

You can not reasonably blame Kuir E Garang for mentioning the so called GREATER BOR COMMUNITY which have effectively been used as a propaganda tool for promoting Borism and Borization of Nyarweng, Twic and Hol Dinka.

for your information, events like Pakeer and Ajoung tragedy did not just occur in a vacuum but took place in the context of south sudan politics. David Yau Yau rebellion is politically motivated and therefore politics can not be divorced from such debate and dialogue.

The so called Greater Bor Community have used painful events like Ajoung and Pakeer massacre as political platform to promote Bor classification project. The question of Bor, greater Bor or what have you is a sensitive issue that most people like Kuir e Garang deeply care about.

you can call it a trivial politics, hate or grudge but that not how other people view it, especially when Twic, Hol and Nyarweng Dinka identity is at stake. The greater Bor community in USA have diverted precious resources from Bor, Duk and Twic east counties. That is why its relevance in the opinion of Kuir Garang.

I do not how long you will afford to shy away from those who do not accept Bor categorization as legitimate.

Brother Johnson, I hope you go and read my pieces and Arok’s responses under the other article.
By the way, what do you mean “the identity” of Twic, Hol and Nyarweng is at “stake?” Who said these names are to be replaced? I haven’t heard anyone arguing about name change.
All I know are: Hol, Nyarweng, Twic, Athooc and Gok which constitutes district of Bor. Each section is sovereign and entitled to its name without any interference.
Twic is Twic, Hol is Hol, Nyarweng is Nyarweng, Athooc is Athooc, and Gok is Gok, all under BOR, as Ngok is Ngok, Bor is Bor, Malual is Malual, Tony is Tony, Agar is Agar, Aliap is Aliap, etc., all under DINKA.
Please, drop this craziness of bringing Hol and Nyarweng into political agenda of Twic East. You guys using the names of Hol and Nyarweng for granted. They are not interested in such a shallow game.
They are not ready and willing to discard the legacy of their community Father Deng Malual. It was Deng Malual of Nyarweng who named us Bor after Aboor.What do you know about history?
Daniel British,
Bor Community Activist, USA

What is the topic of discussion here? Is it the renaming of your tribal clans/counties or the killing of the innocent civilians by the rebels of David Yau Yau(Murle)? Folks, I’m really very confused about the subject of discussion here. Is Twic East, Hol, Nyarweng,Gok and Athooc immune from David Yau Yau’s attack and massacre? If not, then Why are you not discussing the means and ways to protect those innocent civilians? I wondered, how did your ancestors call your Counties/tribal clans before the flooding occurred in your area which resulted in the creation of the name “BOR”?

Frankly speaking, I’m not interested in knowing who is Hol, Nyarweng, Twic,Bor, Gok and Athooc. I’m very interested in knowing the safety of the people living in those areas and what can be done to protect them and keep them safely in their ancestral land. Reading your arguments, I could not tell any difference between you and the local politicians who you bitterly blamed for the lack of care and protections.

How were your tribal clans or Counties called before Chief Deng Malual of Nyarweng named you Bor After the Aboor/Flooding? I asked you this question Just for the sake of knowledge as I’m eager to know who the hell you were before the flooding and how your ancestors were living and coping with the Murle’s aggression and looting.

Dear LGG, we were called Hol, Nyarweng, Twic, Athooch and Gok. These names came about or we were named after founding fathers of our communities. Athooch was named after Athooch, a common name even today in Athooch community. Twic was named after Atwic, a founding father of Ajuong Nar Clan, etc.
As you know we were stateless society before the establishment of economic and political order. Therefore, any names in the past were originated from founders of the communities. When political order emerged, there was a need to group people administratively into nation, state, district, etc.
It was this time the loose communities of Hol, Nyarweng, Twic, Athooch and Gok were needed to be combined into a community (district), and thus, a common name was needed. The contemporaries including Deng Malual came up with the name Aboor (Flood) in Dinka, and the name was then blessed as “BOR.”
The establishment of administrative order gives birth to the District of BOR, BOR community, Ngok community, Gogrial community, Bari community, etc.
Daniel British,
Bor Community Activist, USA.

It is even nonsense and embarrassing to suggest that, the Nyarweng chief, Deng Malual was the one who came up with the Bor name. This statement, if you believe it sums up your level of ignorance about jieng history. Deng Malual died in 1946 as reported by Douglas Johnson. I do not know when he was born, but probably around 1870s by conservative estimate.

By the way, if the name Bor were Deng Malual creation as you claim, it would have been call AMOOL instead of Aboor. though the word have similar meaning, Amool indicate the magnitude of Aboor. The Hol, Twic and Nyarweng know it as Amool while the Bor know it as Aboor.

We do not know if the name Bor originate in central Sudan region of Khartoum or were adopted following migration to south Sudan. but we do know that Bor, as a name referring to Athooc and Gok exist even before Deng Malual was born.

Secondly Bor and Duk districts were established when this region was transferred to Upper Nile from Mongalla province, probably between 1900 and 1910.

Deng malual was made a paramount chief of Bor district around 1920s or 1930s. Bor district was established around 1900 10 years before Duk was made a district. Bor as a name precede Deng Malual birth and transfer of Duk to Bor district in 1931. Therefore it can not be logically conclude that Bor name originate with Deng Malual. Not a single British administrator ever refers to Twic , Nyarweng and Hol as section of Bor Dinka. Please Read upper Nile hand book 1931, Bor-Duk district, page 208 – 249

please stop embarrassing yourself with nonsense theories about the origin of Bor name

Thank you very much for the explanation. I greatly appreciated it. Is Pathoiyiith and Jueet part of Athooc or Gok? Also Where is Patindur situated in Jonglei State? I recently learned from your debate that Patindur was the place where the two Twics (Twic East and Twic West) split. I learned that there is another Hol in Twic West. I wonder if that Hol was a part of Hol in Jonglei State?

Brother LGG, fact of the matter is, do not take too much on what historians say. Just believe on what you know is right. Last year, I collected every book we wrote in the United States and read them. Most of the books are a mixture of lies and truths.
If our coming generation will read these books later, they will not separate what are truths from lies, falsities from realities, and that how people are misled.
Finding Hol in Twic West and Hol in Twic East doesn’t guarantee relationship between the two. Or Awan Chan in Twic West and Awan Aboudit in Athooc-Bor, can’t be related because they are all called Awan.
Just Google some names in China. You will find Garang, Deng, Mawei, Ayuen, Yar, Ajok, all kinds of names Jieng and Nuer are called of, are also named in China. Brother LGG, can you tell me what is our relationship with Chinese? Where did we split with Chinese? Are we related to China?

My response under Kuol Arok article have not been published because it is lengthy in the opinion of the editor. otherwise you would have not utter another nonsense like this. I do not know whether I should continue this debate or to give a brief introduction to Jieng history. I do not even know if I will have to publish my article on Bor categorization if this is in fact the level of understanding of Jieng people you guys have

Twic, Hol and Nyarweng identity is at stake because Bor name has replaced their historical and cultural names from which they have known themselves for 600 or 700 years since migrating to south sudan. You have said that you are from Hol Ajang Majok. How would you feel if I say that Hol Ajang Majok is a section of Ciir? About someone saying that Pakeer is a section of Ajoung Twic. You would be mad like a dog, is it not?

Athooc and Gok are divisions of Bor Dinka just as Pakeer, Ajoung, Nyuak and Lith are sections of Twic Jonglei. Ageer, Athon and Kumar are divisions of Nyarweng Dinka while Hol is divided into Pathel, Nyiel, Angaac and Duor. Gok and Athooc can not stand without Bor just as the Lith, Ageer and Angaac can not stand on their own without Twic, Nyarweng and Hol respectively.

The Bor name we are debating is similar to the name Ngok, which was used to refers to Padang Dinka sections. Ngok like Rut, Thoi, Nyiel, Ageer, Abiliang, Dongjol, Eastern Luac, Ruweng Alor, Ruweng Pan Aruu and Ruweng Paweny is a section of Padang Dinka.

How would I feel? As a visionary young man in our community, I would be happy because I am made a part of my brothers and sisters in Ciir. You know my philosophy, what matters the most is people not section or name. Name or section are just nothing to me.

You looked like you don’t know yourself, and you are fighting for the identity of Twic? I think Kuol Arok provided you with best advices when he said you don’t have to look for answers outside yourself. Just look within you and you will find good answers than being busy reading materials from a guest. Do you think a guest could know everything in your house than yourself?
As owner of the house, I know more than what the guest knows. I read all that books written by Douglas Johnson. He’s an accredited author, I give him credit, but most information from his writings might be inaccurate. This is not because I am questioning his credibility, but this is because his sources of information were weak and most of his idea suppliers were misleading, selfish sources.
For example, if I want to interview people to get ideas about Dinka Bor now, I won’t consider you as a reliable source because your views about Bor are totally misguided, clout with distortions of facts. As a guest it is hard to identify reliable sources and thus; led to biasness and inaccuracy.

About Aboor and Amool, you need to understand two things here: the meaning of the term and the term literally. Whether it is called Aboor or Amool, they mean the same thing, but literally, different terms. Deng Malual and the other contemporaries were not working to twicize or nyarwenize their process.
They were working as concerned leaders of our community and could take whatever best for them without ill-intention as it is of today. They just picked whatever term suited their vocabulary at the time, and here they picked Aboor “BOR not Amool.” Are questioning their intention?
You claimed you know Dinka history, many females in Twic are named Bor not in Athooc and Gok. There are Bor names even in Nuer. For, example Bor Doang, the commander of recent Lou Nuer attacks in Pibor. Therefore, whatever reason the picked Aboor for Bor, could not be issue.
Last but not least, the name Bor came with the establishment of overall leadership of Hol, Nyarweng, Twic, Athooc and Gok. There were no common leadership before we were named Bor. So the establishment of administration and the name came together.
Tell me who were leaders of Bor community (I meant a leader governed all communities of Bor from Cuei Keer to Cuei Thon) beyond Deng Malual, Ajang Duot, Ajak Soot, Mabior Ngueny, and Maciek Deng. Go and read your Douglas Johnson’s materials and tell me, who?

Daniel British,
Awan Chan is not part of Twic Mayardit.
I now know why you thought that Twic Mayardit was named after Salva Kiir Mayardit. And for your information, alot of people including myself will agree with Jay Johnson naration on this topic. By the way, if you are from Hol Ajang as you said somewhere here, then you should know where Patundur is and if you do then tell us where it is found so that people like Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang, who are curious about its location will know.

Guys, many books failed to elaborated where the name Bor orginated from or who gave us name Bor. For example name Twic, many people claim that twic was name after the man called Atwic from Ajoung section, and people from Adhiok, Abek, Kongor, Ayual, Dechiek, Awulian and Pakeer accepted to be called Twic. Guys name is not matter or otherwise Twic can split. Another example is Athooch, the name Athooch orginated from Abuodit, and the people from Juet, Alian, angkuie, patuyith and Biong have accepted the name, this also can cause split. Please guys, stop debating this topic on the national forum. You are who are.

I was extremely interested in your historical debates in order to learn more about the Dinka heritage and historical names in greater Upper Nile region. However, it became apparent that the debate is diverting to different direction and I therefore advise you to conclude it immediately.

Dan, Please tell me if you know the whereabouts of Patundur, the place where the two Twics split. Also I want to know the precise spelling of Patunder as it was spelt differently in many occasions during the course of your debates. Is it Patindur, Patundur or Potpatundur? and Where is it located in Upper Nile region? Your help or whoever is willing to help in this matter would be highly appreciated.
“The truth hurts but it is worth telling it”
Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang!

Brother Dan, Patundur split or whatever you called it is a creation of divisive individuals among us. I am not kind of man who bothers to know about myths.

Brother Domac, “I am who I am and you are who you are” that’s a powerful phrase. Thank you. This is how thoughtful people think. We are who we are regardless.

Brother Jay Johnson, I appreciated your compliment. It is my habit. I am always professional and civil toward people because I know people are my fence and my wall, my life and my legacy, my fathers and my mothers, my brothers and my sisters.

The God is for all. Dinka from Bor are committing atrocities in Nimule and other places in Equatoria in name of IDPs. So do we go. Every death is painful. Kuir should not call for decentralization of police. Call for federalism.

which Bor North? Athooc or are you still stuck with Bor North that exists in the minds of those who appeared completely detached by realities on the ground? North of Bor county is Twic east and Duk counties if you do not know that.
wake up my friend if you have been sleeping!!!!!

For the first time your brain has started to reason, tell your dinka bor people they should not always run to other peoples land like nimule, they should defend their land like madi, Moru, Azande, toposa, latuka did. only dreaming to run to stay in nimule will not help them. They will miss both when kir is kicked off the head of the country, no one will protect them.

Madi has the right to allow whoever they wish as you put it but not intruders like dinkas. I hope you got it.

My brain has been functioning and reasoning well since I start commenting on this forum.

In fact, president Kiir is not the one protecting the Dinkas in Equatoria. You got wrong Mr. Fake Equatorian. It is the other way around. In fact, it is the Dinkas who are protecting president Kiir Mayardit in Equatoria. Umoja, Do you recall that president Kiir Mayardit had ordered the deployment of his regional and home State SPLA soldiers in and around Juba before he fired Dr. Riek Machar and the entire cabinet last July? Are you aware of the fact that president Kiir had just graduated the entire Battalion (The Republican Guards) that comprised of his regional and home town boys from the Military training camp in Luri, Equatoria?

If so, Please wake up and smell the roses or Whiskey before you initiate the war against the Dinkas in Equatoria. Your wicked plot against the Dinka settlers in Equatoria will backfire on you and the likes.
“The truth hurts but it is worth telling it”
Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang!

Your claims are absurd, Mister. History alone is a clear testimony against your unfound claims. A tiny Dinka Bor’s achievement during the war outweighs that of USELESS majority and COWARDs ones. And they’ll continues to do so,no matter what. Got that, Sir!!

The above representatives are the right persons to blame or hold accountable by constituents like yourself. There is no reason, if not for trivial politics, to blame only Michael Makuei Lueth and Kuol Manyang (who is not representing any constituency in Bor area). If your call was not motivated by “Greater Bor” local politics, you should have included Twic East representatives (Nyandeng and Deng Dau) plus other elders for blame.

If you want to say that you are blaming Kuol Manyang as a defence minister then I am left wondering why you failed to raise a finger or post a comment then when Majak Agot was a deputy defence minister! Mr. Majak was a deputy minister and his people were killed by the same Murle in Pajut cattle camp, Allian and Juet of Jalle Payams were also attacked by the murle, There were attacks in Wernyol and Duk, all such incidences happen when Majak was a minister and you didn’t raise a finger or a comment to condemn Majak Agot.
So your sole intention here is only to tarnish and soil Kuol Manyang and Makuei Lueth just because they are not from your area; you look at them as big boys overshadowing Nyandeng and Deng Dau. Such a hypocrisy and unfounded hatred can’t be condoned.

Kuir, the truth is this, every citizen has to hold government accountable. And accountability starts with your local area representative. You don’t have to jump onto other side while leaving a big log at your nearest sight. If you were blaming representatives in general you should have not included Kuol Manyang and if, on the other hand, you were blaming the government then you should have included the GOSS cabinet and it chief leader Kiir Mayardit.

So here is a question for you, where were you when Lou Nuer and Murle overran each other territories in both 2011 and 2012? You were so quiet because your uncle Majak Agot was a deputy defence Minister and the Nuers and Murle are not your people! What a poet!

You got to re-visit Jonglei problem and you will realise that Kuol Manyang and Makuei Lueth (who you want to vilify for no apparent reasons) are not the cause of such problem. And if you want to vilify them just because they happened to serve in Kiir’s government then you got to blame the entire government and not individuals who are not even your representatives.

You Bour ( Bor ) lobbied Thon Leek out of jonglei governorship due to insecurity in the state when he was a governor. You convinced Kiir to fired him from the office believing naively that your anointed messiah, Kuol Manyang would miracoulsy solve the insecurity and developmental problems. you were wrong and more people died from Murle and Yau Yau attack under Kuol than under Thon Leek. More importantly, any development in Jonglei state have been confined to your home town and county of Bor. You were wrong then about Gen Kuol ability as governor and you were wrong when you Bor people prematurely celebrate his appointment as Defense minister, mysteriously believing as you did then that he will solve the insecurity nightmare in Jonglei while forgetting that he barricade himself in Bor town during his reign as governor.

And now you want to throw cold water to silence Kuir Garang legitimate and justified criticism of Kuol who failed as governor, and destine to fail as minister of defense. Your propaganda machine, the so call Greater Bor Community where ever they are, and particularly, Greater Bor community – USA cried blood and wine when Makuei Lueth was the only minister from the so called Greater Bor region, And when the president reward you for your betrayal of Duk and Twic east people, your propaganda machine, Greater Bor Community USA did not publish a single letter of appreciation to president Kiir for selecting three of your sons as ministers ( Kuol , Makuei and Deng Nhial). that is the definition of hypocrisy not Kuir Garang lack of criticism of Majak Agot

If Kiir can be criticized as president, who is Kuol Manyang and Makuei Lueth to be exempt from public scrutiny? And you expected Kuir to be a full time critic of any government failure. Does his lack of criticism of Majak Agot make his criticism of Kuol invalid and unsubstantiated?

The days of civil war era when people like Gen. Kuol were immune from criticism are gone!!!! if Kuol and Makuei are not to be criticized as you seem to suggest, then they need to quit public services. the irony is that, Kuol promotion as defense will not change the insecurity in Jonglei as was the case when he was a governor. So why celebration?

JAY JOHNSON live in Central Equatoria. A place he had call home for more than 25 years

If I may ask, what have you been doing in Central Equatoria for 25 years? Is it your hideout from Jallaba and the upper nile warlords? What is so unique about Central Equatoria that motivated you to move there and call it home for this long? My assumption tells me you are in hidding for whatever crime you might have committed in your ancestral land. Even those who migrate overseas have come back home after the South Sudan independece to their ancestral land. I fail to understand why you do not like your home town of Akon.

Our educated people must learnt about the UN, NGOs and present of UNMISS in our country and try to see whether there is a relation between Murlei and these bodies. UNMISS, EU and USA, talk of defense of minority rights, which give Murlei false hope. I will not tell you why they do that, however, until we take them as not part of the solution, we will never have peace in Jonglei.
UN have been known as a tools of the powerful and moved around looking for disgruntle communities and encouraged them to rise up. It is easy to manipulate a weak state, than stable country. I get scared when we miss the point and not able to connect dots. Since formation of this UN, it has never resolved any conflict, neither have any country moved from poverty due its economic assistance. You should remember that in our case UN plays a mediating role and this is important to know. The war brought PEACE not TALK.

Daniel, you raise some very important points. While we are staring at our toes, there is a larger reality being forged. We are meant to rage at each other, call each other names and rip each other apart. It’s the tactic of divide and conquer. Who is YauYau anyway? Where does he get his arms? How does he feed his soldiers? Has anyone seen him really? Or does he attend strategic conferences with the illustrious uncles and their ‘friends’? What about George Clooney’s million dollar satellite the govt naively allowed to be perched over the Garden of Eden? What’s it doing up there after all the fanfare and hoopla? What exactly does it do/track?
The goal of the global parasites and their useful idiots IS chaos in RSS. That is the strategic plan, the vision. Just because it does not match our vision doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Do not retaliate against the Murle. This is what the ‘observers’ are praying for. Then they can march in with forces and contracts that effectively dissolve South Sudanese agency. Then they will corral natives of Jonglei into refugee camps, lured by the temptation of free GMO food shot out of the asses of cargo planes. Then they will have the access and rights of demigods in the Garden of Eden, to continue those old projects designed for the Sudd (don’t think they’ve forgotten those) and injecting South Sudanese with vaccines containing only God knows what (wouldn’t be the first time this has happened in Africa).
Do not retaliate against brothers and sisters from other tribes. We don’t even know the full story of what is REALLY happening in Jonglei, who is pulling the strings really.

Junglei problem has always been there and nobody is to blame for whatever is happening there now. Lobbying the government to crash Murlei is unbecoming because they are citizens as those of Lou Nuer and Bor Dinka. These tribal incidents are everywhere throughout the country not only in Junglei.
The solution to Junglei crisis should come from the local leaders of the communities involved in tribal feuds. It was wrong from the beginning to term the crisis as a national threat which resulted in the killing of thousands from Murlei tribe whose its youths in turn avenged it on innocent and unarmed Twic East people.

Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang, reckless comparison of tragedies create endless brawling among us. You have no clue about the two scenarios of Bar el Gazal in 1980-1990s and the Greater Bor of Today. why? Bar el Ghazal was attacked by Maraleen but SPLA forces were present in Bar el Gazal in large numbers since 1984. Rhino Battalion under the command of Makur Aleyou was the first to be deployed in Bar el Gazal in 1984, followed by Tuektuek Battalion, Nile Battalion, Eagle Battalion, Shark Battalion, zahalan Battalion, Gergeer Battalion, Maniir Battalion, Tagiik Battalion, Adungueek battalion, etc. Then battalions of middle aged men who went to Ethiopia and asked Dr. Garang for guns for the protection of their cattle and homes. An amazing favoritism that was never done to any other community in South Sudan. The names of theses battalions of middle aged men are Manyangdit Battalion, TiitBai Battalion, Tiitweng Battalions, and Ariaath Battalion. All these SPLA Battalions have been in Bar el Gazal throughout the war under the command of Daniel Awet Akot. Numerous officers including Maduok Akot, Deng Ajuong, George Kwach Wieu, Santo Ayang, Santo Deng Wol, Dau Aturjong, Matur Chut, and many others. If these forces failed to protect civilians in Bar el Gazal during the course of the war then Dr. John Garang cannot be blamed. He has armed and deployed enough forces to protect civilians there. Stop blaming and Leave the Late alone!

When it comes to current tragedies in Twic East or Greater, it is being worsen by the way current president is disarming communities in Jonglei State. The president always starts disarmament in Dinka Bor and Nuer and these two communities never raid Murlei. The president has also intensified amnesty of the criminals instead of authorizing SPLA forces to bring culprits to justice. For your information, Dinka Bor has always been able to defend its civilians against Arabs and proxy militias since the war broke out. For example Dinka Bor divided themselves during the split in 1990s. Part of its liberators remained to fight Arabs in Equatoria and elsewhere in Sudan but others went to liberate their home from Nasir Faction in 1993. They even killed the commander (Kuach Kang) who massacred their children and women in 1991. They continued to defend their home until the CPA was signed in 2005. So Dinka Bor with its sections of Twi (Twic East), Bor, Nyarweng, and Hol does not need lectures from anybody on how to defend their civilians. Our heroes have won numerous battles against Arab government. We still have a good number of heroes who destroys tanks, jet fighters, helicopters etc. Garang Akot who shutdown 24 warplanes of Sudan Gov’t during the war is a son of Dinka Bor from Pakeer. Leave alone these militias. They are nothing to Dinka Bor if we agree to be lawless. It is worse because our civilians were disarmed to remain defenseless. I believe these government did it on purpose to reduce the population of our people. Time will come for our people to obtain guns again. God knows where these murderers will run to?

Kuot,
both disarmament and amnesty for criminals are PROGRAMS of the international community initiated very early after the signing of the CPA. Donors have preferenced and funded these programs above others, and they have put immense pressure on Kiir to agree to both. Some might even say donors and friends have made disarmament and amnesty a CONDITION of their ‘friendship.’ Just as they pressurized Dr. Garang to be quiet about any talk and aspirations for separation during his long campaign for international support….
Disarm the people so they cannot self-defend in the village (but don’t disarm Americans because that would be anti-democratic, against the constitution), plant seeds of chaos in the national armed forces by absorbing and rewarding the most brutal war-lords (because that’s ‘democratic’, yeah right!) and then when pure chaos ensues, march in as a demi-god and peace-and-policy-maker and call all of the shots.

I just want to know if comrade Garang Akot, the Bor guy whom you claimed to have shot down 24 Sudanese warplanes during the SPLA liberation war, is still alive? If he is, would you please advise him to shoot down the Sudanese warplanes that bring guns and military supplies to David Ya Yau in Jonglei State.

You have been talking very arrogantly about Bor’s bravery and it’s military accomplishments during the SPLA war. May I remind you that I fought with your Bor people in the front line and I know precisely what the hell they were in the movement. Would you please explain those achievements and bravery to David Yau Yau and his tribesmen who are still looting cattle, abducting children and killing people in your Backyards. I suspect that David Yau Yau himself could be one of your children who were abducted by Murle tribe. He surely looks like muony-Bor.(Bor man) in the picture.
Would you explain the status of your Bor people in the Madi Land. Are they the IDPs, Migrants workers and/or settlers and Why?

“The truth hurts but it is worth telling it”
Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang!

FROM EDITOR: LGG, PLEASE, FOR THE FINAL TIME, MAKE YOUR COMMENTS AS SHORT AS COMMENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. ANYTHING NEEDLESSLY LONGISH WILL EITHER BE ABRIDGED OR NOT PUBLISHED.

do you think any elder from bor south can solve problems in bor north> my friend, any politician or elder from bor north should unite and do something on behalf of their people, leave alone the so called greater bor that is nameless ?

Lukudu Gatkouth Garang, Nimule is global city, and whoever living there will be living there until when he/she decide to leave the city. Lukudu Gatkouth Garang, can you explain why Jieng de Bhar El Gazal occupy Bari area, make corruptions, cause insecurity in juba, formed gang organisation called Koc Beny (mean help the president to kill citizens), delaying of the party convention, formed Bhar El Gazal militias called presidential guards and worse of all (undermining of the national constitution). Brother learn how to rule.

I’m sorry that I can not speak for the people of the greater Bhar El Ghazal region. However I assumed that they form the Republic guards in order to protect their president from Bor people who think they were born to rule and not to be ruled by others in South Sudan. Do you know how many times did Bor people plot and attempted to over throw president Kiir Mayardit in Juba?

Brother, your concept of born to rule will not work well with the Muonyjang of Bhar El Ghzal. You must learn how to rule and be ruled by others otherwise you would be marginalized and segregated like gypsy in South Sudan. The people of Bhar El Ghazal have contributed a lot in the liberation of South Sudan. Therefore they deserve to have a big share of the pie and it doesn’t matter whether they steal it or seized at the gun point.

By the way, the government of president Kiir Mayardit is not different from that of President Abel Alier which brought hatred, kokora and massacre of Dinka in Juba in 1980s. If the Equatorians were not brave and smart enough to introduce kokora and massacre of Bor people, Juba would have been taken over by Bor people and renamed Mading Bor. Mr, Born to Rule, Who are you to rule others and not to be Ruled?

I love adult people. I always gain insights being among adults. One of the insights I gained from my grandfather was the content of this story.
“Two very friendly men were born and grew up as neighbors. They socially understood each other to the point that they closely became brothers. These two men grew up, married and had families. One day their families’ lives became difficult and wanted to set off for an economical trip. They departed their families to hunt, perhaps, for foods. After a three-day long walk from home, they came across a black box laying on the roadside. One of the two rushed off and opened the box. Guessed what, the box was full of money. Excited they became. They took the box and continued on. Now, they had money, but they also became hungery. They wanted to find where to buy food. When they approached the city, they decided one of them would go and buy them food, and one would remain hiding with the money since if they came to the city with the money, they would be robbed.
Out of this decision rose another plot between the two. Mr. X who went to buy food decided to poison Mr. Y who hid with the money in order to take the money by himself. The same plot was born into Mr. Y mind who (wanted the money by himself) planned to shoot dead Mr. X once he arrived with the food. Fine enough. Mr. X went to the restaurant, ate his food there, poisoned Mr. Y’s Food, and then returned. Mr. Y readied his gun, and upon seeing Mr. X arriving, he gunned down Mr. X. And then there was nothing in his mind defined as poisoning food, he took his food, and ate it. Now, both died, and the black box again found itself on roadside as it was before.” My grandfather ended the story here.

Kuir E Garang and people complaining against the govt for inaction after the massacre of Twic People,

You have to be smart! Politics is different from organizing and protecting one’s own community and I must commend Mr. Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang and others for advising our Bor brothers to emulate Nuer Lou and look into ways of protecting their communities instead of lashing and blaming politicians, Greater Bor Community and its elders for inaction.
Yes Indeed, Bhar el Ghazal suffered untold atrocities in the hands of Murahaleen while its numerous soldiers stationed in upper Nile, Equatoria and Engessena during late Dr. Garang’s leadership. But still Aweil people and Gogrial people devised their own strategies such as creating Gelweng or Tit Weng to fight murahaleen since SPLA was too slow to recognize the suffering of its people in Bhar el Ghazal region.

The Battalions mentioned here by Kuot or someone else to refute Lukudu Gatkuoth’s assertion on private security arrangement between communities to keep away unwanted warlords is misplaced completely. It is true the said battalions were in Bhar el Ghazal briefly and were recalled by the SPLA leadership to Equatoria, Engessena and Upper Nile between 1989 to early 1990s to the date CPA was signed and RSS became recognizable independent Republic.

I am a Nuer I am always proud of Dinka Aweil, Dinka Gogrial, and Dinka Twic of Bhar el Ghazal for their braveness. These Communities stood up against all NIF regimes before the institution of the SPLA and even after their own trained sons were sent somewhere to protect vulnerable communities across South Sudan.

look at the casualties from recent Panthou or Heglig war, you would find that about 70% of these are from Bhar el Ghazal in totality and this shows Upper Nile and Equatoria regions must do something instead of talking nonsense on public websites. Nuer used to be fighters and it seems their braveness is quickly fading away because of the influence of their coward neighbours accustomed to blaming their own problems and failures on government and on other people.

Those trained SPLA soldiers Kuir Garang would like to rescue their vulnerable counties do not include their 1 or 2% Bor soldiers. Bor people are educated in large numbers and must understand this properly and if they don’t then it is their own problem. We still have wars in South Sudan that need scores of SPLA soldiers to be equipped and sent there for future protection.
Nuer-Dinka or Murlei Dinka or Nuer- Murlei issues are problems needing community dialogues like the ones headed by Bishop Daniel Deng Bul. South Sudanese writers must advocate and encourage community dialogues if internal wars must be stopped. Blaming govt or people here and there and perhaps cursing them for emotive reasoning wouldn’t work.

Thank you very much for the enlightenment and explanation. I attempted to explain what you have just concluded. However my first response to Kuot which contained numerous details was not published by the Editor as it was little bit longer. I’m glad that you were able to refute those lies from Kuot. I think Kuot is trying to create his Bor people out of their reality. If Bor was that brave as Kuot claimed, Why would they abandon their ancestral land and move to Kakuma and Madi Land in Equatoria?

My Brother Kuot and the likes should know that the charity begins at home and there is nothing much sweeter than home. Please keep it up and stay blessed!

Many people of your age know me and my clean liberation struggle records. Please do not support people saying I am a pretender. I love my community Nuer just as anyone would and it would be unfortunate to suggest I may not be Nuer’s son.

I strongly disagree with many of your points. Because we are to keep our comments short and sweet, I am going to limit my refutation to only one of your points.

Dear Sir, what you perceive as fading away of Nuers’ braveness is not what you think; it is rather a change of heart. A change of heart from rushing to war without giving it a thought; to contemplating on the case in point first to whether it is worth fighting for or not. This is the new found attitude that you seem to misconstrue with fearfulness. Had it not been for this change of heart, a war would have broken out in Juba when Dr. Machar was let go from his vice Presidency. I sincerely praise Nuers for adopting this kind of wait and see attitude.
As you may know, we were and continue to be labelled as traitors and warmongers due to lack of this new found attitude in the past.
Thanks God, Nuers have taken a different path. Please be aware that thinking first before you act is not an act of cowardice. Rest assured that you would be surprised if something worth fighting for crops up.

By any measure, you are one of the civilized nuer I have ever encountered on this forum. In fact if all Nuer think the way you do, upper nile region would be saved from warlordism, militia obsession, violence and needless fights that did not have to happen.

What you call change of heart in reference to Nuer is actually a civilization process and triumph of logic. by civilization I mean the tendency of Nuer of today to reject violence, and their reluctance of embracing violence as mean and solutions to problems they encountered.

and indeed Riek removal from vice presidency would have met the definition of a justified war by Nuer standards. And the Nuer of today have asked the logical question of whether it’s worth fighting for a vice presidency position.

How many Nuer should have to be sacrificed just to restore Dr. Naïve Riek Machar to vice presidency. is it 1000 or 1 person’s life? the answer is absolutely no!!!! No Nuer, Dinka, Madi, Bari or shilluk life should be sacrificed just to get a politician a position, even presidency. It is even pathetic to sacrifice life when the politician is even an un-indicted war criminal like Dr. Riek.

Thank God that the Nuer of upper Nile region are undergoing civilization. if that trend continues, south sudan will be a peaceful nation. war such as 1991 coup, fish war between Gajook and Mor Lou of 1991/1992, in which hundreds of Lou and Gajook civilians died will be a thing of the past.

Killing a five year old child, 80 years old men and women and girls, as the forces of SPLA/M Nasir, Anya nya II, Lou, Gawaar, Thiang, Laak and Gajook did in 1991 in South West jonglei region should not be reasonably viewed and celebrated as bravery or warriorism. that is call genocide and ethnic cleansing!!!!

Lukudu Gatkuoth Garang,
your debate tends to to childish though u claim to be an intellectual debater. It is childish to imagine that something called “born to rule” exists among Dinka Bor. that is why you keep dreaming that Bor has attempted or will overthrow Salva Kiir. The president himself will not agree with your assertion.
Am sure you never fought any war leave alone fighting besides soldiers from Dinka Bor. Records of the past civil war are there to prove your thinking wrong. Dinka Bor in the name of Koryom Brigade started the real civil war by capturing towns from Sudan armed forces. Capturing towns from SAF has never happened before in the history of S. Sudan struggle for freedom. Sons of Dinka Bor from Koryom Brigade captured Buma, Jokow, Malual Gahoth, Terekeka, MadingBor, Winykibul, Yirol etc since 1985 before soldiers from Bar Gazal reached the battlefields. This kind of bravery continued throughout the civil war.
I will tell you that you are ignorant if you don’t know the bravery revealed by Dinka Bor during the civil war. Yes, Garang Akok is alive but he is not able to shoot down warplanes now because the current SPLA is unable to buy anti-aircraft due to your systemic corruption.
Just remember that the problem of Dinka Bor is disarmament rather than Murle raiders. You know your uncle disarmed our civilians and exposed them to insecurity.
I agree we have people in Nimule like the rest of S. Sudanese. Nimule is a S. Sudanese territory where citizens who are working as customs officers, teachers, nurses… have rights to live in. Our pple are not there as IDPs but government workers. Stop being a hate-monger.

Thank you. We all love South Sudan and on top of that need to protect it against our common enemies. The wars between looter communities will never end if plans to carry out dialogues fail. Dr. Riek had this plan just before he was removed from vice presidency. Whoever is in charge should encourage our rival communities to seek peaceful solutions critical to ending clan wars.

Disarmament of certain communities last time was done to minimize gun deaths, but it did not succeed. Most vulnerable and border communities are now paying a prize but this should not be used as an excuse not to protect ourselves from looter communities.

Asking our top government officials to desert the SPLA and stay home because RSS is ineffective to protect its citizens is an act of treason. Kuir Garang must know this. The remedy is always simple: either Kuir leaves second home abroad or leaves public service life and takes a gun to protect his community or shut up completely.

Col. Yuoi Lajor,
your name reads like nuer but your attitude is Dinka from Bar el Gazal. The contribution from Bar el Gazal will never be denied. You from Bar el Gazal must also learned to accept that other communities have contributed as well. Dinka Bor in particular were almost competing with Bar el Gazal region in terms of contribution toward the liberation. I believe you know this if you are a true officer of the SPLM/A.
Dinka Bor is currently made up 3 counties. Bar el Gazal is currently 4 States. population of Dinka Bor in the battlefield was leading in the first years of the civil war from 1984-1986. Then the population of Bar el Gazal began to exceed that of Dinka Bor in 1987, but both Dinka Bor and Dinka from Bar el Gazal numbers were equivalent in Equatoria where the SPLA fought SAF more than anywhere in Sudan. SPLA is a national army and must protect all unsecured civilians despite which community has 2% or 50% in the army. Dinka Bor did their share of the liberation and they should not be neglected by the current government if their numbers decreased in the national army. Now is the time to serve the nation in different services including the ones outside the national army.
The government must protect the civilians because it is the government that disarmed and left them vulnerable. When SPLA failed to protect civilians of Bar el gazal from Maraleen the civilians formed local defence forces but asked the SPLM/A to arm them. And the SPLM/A did arm them and that is why they protected themselves in 1980s-90s.
what is the difference between Maraleen and Yau yau’s Militias?
Col. Latjor, I disagree partially because the battalions which were initially deployed in Bar el Gazal were not taken out all. It was just a handful number of soldiers called Mobile Forces which were taken from Bar el Gazal and deployed in Equatoria.

Correction: Mobile force was a collection of brave few men from differing battalions of Bhar El Ghazal region. It was brought to rescue the said vulnerable communities in which yours was the first then eastern and Western Equatorian communities afterwards.

Our national army should be deployed in strategic areas not between the community-borders. What is needed here is well trained police forces to take on criminals in the entire Republic of South Sudan. About your people staying in Nimule and causing troubles to local there, this is a big problem for Madi people and the entire govt at large.

Immigration staff are not all from Bor and so are teachers. Nimule is an international border I believe. But we must give right to the community just as your Bor communities are free in Jongulei.

Why would I deny my community and take different name? That is why you people will continue to have problems with Bhar El Ghazal people. Your suggestion that Bhar el Ghazal people are against Bor people is untrue and misleading. Most of Bhar el Ghazal soldiers died trying to rescue Bor people in 1990s and beyond and this shows you are totally wrong brother.

Bhar el Ghazalians are people of action and will continue to be protectors always.

You fail to acknowledge the human and material contributions made by Hol, Twic and Nyarweng Dinka during the war of liberation. Any spla soldier would agree with my statement regarding the ultimate sacrifice made by these communities.

It is true that Dinka from Bahr el Ghazel and Bor made significance contribution to the liberation of south Sudan. But failing to acknowledge Twic , Nyarweng and Hol contribution amount to intellectual dishonesty in my opinion. even Dr. Garang contribution as a twic dinka should be appreciate at least!!!!

It is true that there were many generals from Bor and Bahr el Ghazel compare to Hol, Twic and Nyarweng but that does not mean they did not made any contribution. in fact there was not a single general from Hol and Nyarweng as far as I can recall. The twic have 4 including Dr. Garang while the Bor have 15 and Bahr el Ghazel 30 generals.

while the contribution made by spla generals is appreciate, the soldiers were the one who died mostly on the battle field. The Point being that Twic, Nyarweng and Hol contribution should not be reasonably forgotten or play down as insignificance!!!!

Thank you very big for actually putting Col. Yuoi Latjor in his rightful place. I have come to lastly realize that he is not Nuer but Bhar El Ghazal man hiding behind the name of the well-know leader of Eastern Nuer, Latjor. This is the man (Latjor) who brought the Eastern Nuer from Bentiu to where they are right now. It is for him to know that hiding behind Nuer names will not protect them in any way. Smart people like Kuot will figure out those who are tainting Nuer people’s identity very easily. The last piece he wrote was the last nail in his coffin to finally revealed his Bhar El Ghazalian identity unknowingly.

This is the reason why his partner in crime has given himself a Nuer name as well. What a pity!

Their Bhar El Ghazalian government they are protecting at all costs will soon melt away. Nowhere in the entire world apart from South Sudan is government function to loot, corrupt, and do nothing. It is the function of a government to protect its people and not the opposite. If it is a function-less government indeed, then it is time for them to give back the guns to each community they disarmed. I wonder what they would do if another country attack South Sudan, would they blame that on the innocent citizens too?

You do not know what you are talking about! The issue under discussion is protecting our own communities and it is the very reason I produced exemplar communities that took their security seriously with or without help from the SPLA during the liberation struggle. Mentioning BG people and boasting about their strength is what you do not like and that could be the reason you speculate me to be from Bhar El Ghazal.

I have been to areas of BG regions and local areas and know what these people can do in terms of their own security and the national security. I am talking from the experience and not from the pretension you alleged. Bor people, Murlei people, Nuer People and different communities with myriad clannish wars must know that protection of a community is for the local always. Blaming our own troubles and failures on others is what they must avoid.

National army is not deployed between armed and rival communities; it is deployed in areas strategic to national protection. We must understand this. I am not trying to say government cannot intervene to save the lives of the clan-war affected populace in Upper Nile Region; I am of the opinion that Bor and the likes communities must do something to beef up their private security if National Government is not ready to help as needed by the locals.This is what other communities do in which the most recent example community is Nuer Lou.

About my Nuer Identity, this is simple. Just ask one of the top SPLA officers from Nuer this question: Who is Colonel Stephen Gaach Yuoi Latjor? Just as Upper Nile communities have a few warrior clans so do Bhar el Ghazal communities. It is naïve to suggest anybody praising BG people is from BG.